ABSTRACT
TABLE 7.3 Main Physicochemical Mechanisms Involved in the Function of Hydrocolloids
additional phenomena can take place, particularly when one or two components can form physical gels. is impedes the phase separation to be completed at the macroscopic level and the nal structure of the system is not at thermodynamic equilibrium. e result is a complex morphology yielding a specic texture, whether pleasant or unpleasant for the consumer. Molecular binding between unlike polymers has been suggested as a possible mechanism underlying the properties of mixed polysaccharide systems, resulting in dramatic synergistic eects. ese phenomena are not yet clearly understood, however, and the molecular mechanisms of binary biopolymer systems are still a matter of debate.
